CHESHIRE County Council has published a list of poor performing bus services which are set to lose the subsidies which keep them running. Transport chiefs at County Hall say the services are underused and too expensive. But we want to hear from you to find out if they are listening to commuters across Cheshire. MARC BAKER investigates.

SCHOOLCHILDREN, pensioners, hospital patients and visitors could be left without transport links if a string of subsidised bus services are axed as part of a #250,000 cost-cutting exercise.

Cheshire County Council has produced a list of 27 poor-performing bus services which could be scrapped to sustain a healthy bus budget for the coming year.

However, the plans could seriously affect old and young across the county if the authority is successful in axing a series of services, including two to the Countess of Chester Hospital.

Tory leaders also want to remove subsidies for daily school runs to Tarporley High, Christleton High, Helsby High, St Werburgh's & St Columba's Primary in Hoole and Aston Primary - along with a service from Chester to Sealand Industrial Estate.

Campaigners fear parents will be forced to organise their own minibus transport for out-of-zone pupils if the services are axed.

Council chiefs say the supported services are underused and cost the authority too much to maintain.

The subsidies, which will not be paid by the commercial bus operators, range from #1.51 to #19.20 per passenger trip.

The public has yet to be fully consulted on the plans, which could spark a range of community campaigns across the district.

Some children will be left to find their own way to class if their particular school run service is axed.

For example, no alternative route will be available for pupils living three miles away from St Werburgh's & St Columba's Primary if the daily C39 from Boughton Heath is axed.

Council chiefs say the service costs #18,207 a year yet carries only 15 pupils a day. Out-of-zone pupils from Kingsley would also be left stranded if the daily 24 service to Helsby High is axed. It costs #24,700 a year and carries 67 pupils a day.

There would be no alternative service for out-of-zone pupils of Tarporley High if the daily 85 service from Winsford, which carries 33 pupils a day, is axed.

A decision on the poorestperforming services, threatened due to 'competing demands' in the budget, will be made in August.

The plans have been criticised by Cllr David Robinson, Labour spokesman on Cheshire's environment advisory committee.

North West MEP Brian Simpson has also written to Steve Williams, Cheshire's transport co-ordinator, to express his concern over school services.

Cllr Robinson fears pensioners will be left high and dry if routes to the Countess are axed.

'The most vulnerable people in our society will be the direct victims of the Tory administration cutting #250,000 from the bus budget,' he said.

'Some of the services being reviewed only carry a small number of people, but for some people these are vital services. To get a taxi is out of question because of the price.'

He added: 'The Boughton Heath-St Werburgh's route is not a statutory service. However, this is a service the authority chose to fund.

'There are many main roads to cross to reach this school and parents asked the county council to provide their children with a service.

'The Winsford-Tarporley service is historical. If it is scrapped, parents will have to get together and organise their own bus service.'

Cllr Robinson says the bus services could have been saved if the council had increased Council Tax.

'When the Tories came in they enforced an unrealistic Council Tax rate,' he said.

'When you attack public services, it is difficult to maintain standards.'

Environment executive member Andrew Needham (Con, Eddisbury) said there are many difficult decisions to be made.

He added: 'Some of the bus services we subsidise have very few passengers, which does not make good business or environmental sense and therefore is not really sustainable.

'Unfortunately, these rising costs are having to be met by the Council Tax-payer.

'And I must stress that the routes affected are subsidised because commercial bus operators will not operate them.

'We have identified 27 services whose yearly grants amount to #370,000 - well over what is required - to enable a debate to take place about our priorities and what other choices could be available.

'For example, are there commercial or community bus services which could be used as an alternative where services have been withdrawn?

'Have the options of taxi-sharing or community car schemes been considered?'

The Dial-a-Ride and Women's Safe Transport community services have now been 'deliberately excluded' from the list of subsidised bus services.

Earlier this year, transport chiefs said the services would not be immune from plans to axe 20 of the worst-performing bus services in Cheshire, but they are now safe following a performance evaluation.

THE public consultation period will last until Friday, June 20. Meetings will be held with local transport liaison committees.

She said: 'I have a really rare illness - primary pulmonary hypertension - so I have to have regular check-ups at the hospital. This means, when I'm active, the blood from the right side of my heart does not pump properly to the left side of my heart.

'The blood doesn't circulate round the whole of my body so it doesn't create enough oxygen for me and then I get really breathless. I need to go to the Countess so they can be kept up to date with what is going on.' She said inadequate transport could result in her missing vital appointments.

'I rely on the hospital bus service,' she said. 'If I missed out on a check-up it would mean it could be months before I get another appointment.' Despite the fact that she does not work, Mrs Norgrove would have to carry the cost of taking taxis if services are cut.

'If there was was anything major wrong with me, I would have to get a taxi to the hospital. Taxis here are very expensive - it's #3 each way and I am not working. I rely on the buses so I don't have to shell out for taxi fares.

'I can only actually get a bus if it's local to me. If there are no stops near enough, I have to get a taxi to the stop.

'Some of my friends also go to the hospital and they are forced to take taxis because the bus service is already bad.' Mrs Norgrove said the consequences would be far-reaching.

'There is so much stuff I do in my life that I have to use taxis for because the buses are already so bad,' she said. 'I am annoyed that this move affects so many people because it will affect the hospital when people are unable to turn up to their appointments.

'When you are ill you don't need hassle with the buses and taxis are an unwanted expense. It will also add to traffic.'

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